Hehe, SH - I read about those incidents. Absolute mindless application of the rules, in some cases misunderstood in the first place. It's not the rules I object to so much - there have to be rules of some kind - it's the total lack of common sense or discretion about their enforcement. The little Hitler, black-and-white, rules-must-be-obeyed-to-the-letter mentality developed under Labour, I think.

Aye weel you'll be glad to know these privateers with their letters of mark would be flung in the jail if they dared operate some of their dubious practices north of the border.

L A R eh. Apparently they've room for four hundred hearses in their compound in Edmonton. Aye, these privateers do a nice little number in the security and enforcement trade. But apparently they have a nice line in public relations as well.They rescue little old lady's broken down vehicles from the roadside ...for a price naturally. Aye, everything has it's price these days particulary when privateers are involved in extortion, blackmail and highway robbery. The Westmidden Government have promised to put and end to their activities next year. So will we, in Englandshire,in the land of commercial privateering expect westmidden laws to be enacted resulting in an almighty cull and extinction of these venereal parasites.

Well that depends if you believe in the word of Westmidden politicians.

and believe in westmidden's capacity not to trouser consultancy fees, sponsorship gravitas, gifts and promises of directorships and board positions on said grateful privateer's organisations or affiliated quangos of security incorporated.Doesn't it?

Really? That recent? And by recent I mean since Labour first took power in the twenties. Sigh. Where to begin? Ever read Kafka? Dostoyevsky? Shakespeare? (I will have my bond). That was brought about by Labour was it?

Try to show some understanding of the perennial in human behaviour, there's a good man.

A good picture to explain to students what causes revolutions, the vile shits in uniforms carrying clip boards.

I once accidentally reversed in to a wardens scooter in Edinburgh.I got out to check what the noise was and a guy ran over and shook my hand, he said "well done mate that effing pig makes our lives a misery." I left a note on the scooter saying "oops" and then drove of. I felt great for weeks. In fact thinking of it now gives me a buzz. One reason why I like Landrovers.

@Jim - Yep, read all of those. Not a word about parking enforcement in any of it, as I recall.

Sorry if my phrase that you quoted was a little broad-brush for you. I will expand. In my youth, and no doubt in yours, rules were generally interpreted by human beings. Having your bumper six inches out of the allotted parking space would have met with a word of advice, not a fine and a refusal to reconsider. Speeding, if not unsafe or blatant, would have been dealt with similarly by a real human policeman. I have been the beneficiary of policemen's 'discretion' on several occasions and have been grateful for it. It is only in the last few years that rules have begun to be enforced mechanistically by those with the power - the instances given above by Smoking Hot exemplify this. 20 years ago, would a waiting ambulance have been ticketed? I don't think so - the warden wouldn't have dared risk the ridicule. And yes, I blame the Labour government for fostering the intrusive, controlling atmosphere that allows this kind of nonsense to thrive.

As you are familiar with The Merchant of Venice, you will remember that Shylock's insistence on having his 'bond' is portrayed as unreasonable and cruel throughout the play. Shakespeare was not a supporter of petty tyrants. And Kafka, as I am sure you recall, was satirising totalitarianism, not apologising for it. Try to show some understanding of what you read, there's a good man.

Now, Richard, you know that's tripe. Reach out with your feelings. Create any rules that have to be enforced by rule enforcers and you will find many who are willing to enforce them. That is the perennial fact of humans 'working' together.

My objection to to what you say is that it is based on selective historical ignorance, and has nothing to do with any judgement placed upon the behaviour in question. You blame it on Labour. That is lamentably benighted. I blame it on us.

Where is the common sense by those whose job it is to remove illegally parked vehicles? Its a hearse for heavens sake, did no-one even think to check if it was 'collecting' and if so to turn the proverbial blind eye? And eternal shame on the employers of those towing it away for not having instilled said common sense into their employees!